Nestable trash receptacle with wheels

Abstract

The invention involves a wheeled trash receptacle having wheels slidable on an axle between an inboard position where the trash receptacle may be nested inside of a like constructed trash receptacle and an outboard position where the wheels are spaced further apart to provide for stability of the trash receptacle while being moved on its wheels. The wheel spacer is constructed as a one piece member that can be slid over a side surface of the axle to be positioned on either side of either wheel on the trash receptacle. The construction of the wheel spacer also makes removal of the wheel spacer an easy task should the user want to change the configuration of the trash receptacle at any time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wheeled trash receptacle comprising:
 a receptacle for receiving and holding trash, the receptacle including a bottom wall for supporting the receptacle in an upright position when in contact with a ground surface, a sidewall integrally formed to and extending completely around a perimeter of the bottom wall, the sidewall including a height suitable for receiving and holding trash,   a pair of wheels secured to the receptacle for rotation about an axle, the wheels positioned so as to not contact the ground surface when the receptacle is in the upright position,   a handle for tipping the receptacle to a mobile position wherein the bottom wall is not in contact with a ground surface and the wheels are in contact with the ground surface,   the wheels having at least two positions, a first wheel position allowing one wheeled trash receptacle to be nested inside of another like constructed trash receptacle, a second wheel position providing greater stability to the receptacle in the mobile position but not allowing nesting, the wheels configurable by a consumer in either the first wheel position or the second wheel position.   
     
     
         2 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 1  including a one piece wheel spacer associated with each respective wheel of the pair of wheels to position the respective wheel in the first wheel position or the second wheel position. 
     
     
         3 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 2  wherein each one piece wheel spacer is constructed and arranged to snap over a side surface of the axle. 
     
     
         4 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 3  wherein each one piece wheel spacer is resiliently deformable to snap over the side surface of the axle. 
     
     
         5 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 4  wherein each one piece wheel spacer is C-shaped having a channel, the channel including a ramping surface for causing resilient deformation of the one piece wheel spacer as it is slipped over the side surface of the axle. 
     
     
         6 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 5  wherein each side of the channel opening includes a ramping surface. 
     
     
         7 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 6  wherein the channel includes a mouth portion, the mouth portion being narrower than a diameter of the axle to resist removal of the one piece spacer from the axle. 
     
     
         8 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 5  wherein the one piece spacer includes a core sleeve and a pair of flanges. 
     
     
         9 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 8  wherein at least one of the flanges includes rub rails for reducing friction with a respective wheel. 
     
     
         10 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 9  wherein the rub rails are elongated and raised projections that rub against a wheel surface as the wheel rotates. 
     
     
         11 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 10  wherein at least one rib  32  is integrally formed to and extends between the flanges  30  at each end of the one piece spacer to provide structural rigidity to the one piece spacer. 
     
     
         12 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 1  wherein the one piece spacer is constructed from polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The wheeled trash receptacle of  claim 1  wherein the polymer is plastic resin.